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How Much Does Stem Cell Therapy Cost?

Straightforward information about the real cost of stem cell therapy.

Stem cell therapy treatments are sweeping the nation as an effective, minimally invasive alternative treatment option for chronic and degenerative conditions that were previously only manageable. Patients everywhere are raving about the headway they have made through stem cell therapy treatments with osteoarthritis, damage to tendons, ligaments and cartilage, MS, Parkinson’s disease and even spinal damage. For most of these conditions, treatment can be invasive, dangerous and ineffective. As we learn more about medication dependency, it’s only natural to want to move toward treatments that promote healing without committing to a lifetime of prescriptions. Stem cell therapy treatments are the revolutionary answer to many of the concerns people have about surgery, medication and chronic pain but for most patients making vital medical decisions, cost is high on the factor list. Stem cell therapy treatments are often taken off the table as a viable treatment option because patients are concerned about the costs.

Why the Cost of Stem Cell Matters

Stem cell treatment has been around for decades, but as the therapy moves into the mainstream, many people are considering stem cell treatment options for the first time with an understandable amount of uncertainty about what the treatment can do and how effective it will be on their condition. That uncertainty can lead patients to forgo even exploring the cost of stem cell treatment to choose a more familiar option like surgery and medication. Healthcare costs aren’t going to decrease any time soon, so making the decision to spend on a big ticket medical treatment is a risk most people aren’t willing to take. Patients who decide to undergo stem cell treatment have most often been battling chronic illness for a long time, and there are huge costs incurred with chronic illness treatment. Patients with a laundry list of medical costs under their belt aren’t eager to take on an additional high ticket medical treatment. At this time stem cell therapy is regularly not covered by insurance so for patients who are uncertain about the treatment and already managing heavy medical costs, paying for stem cell treatment out of pocket seems daunting.

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No Nonsense Pricing for Stem Cell Therapy

Many providers who offer stem cell therapy choose to not disclose exact pricing for the treatment on their websites, so patients’ searches for the bottom line costs often come up short. One of the reasons why discussions about price are saved until the patient has been evaluated and educated on the benefits of stem cell is because the price tag is often the final determiner for our decision-making process. Providers want patients to understand how stem cell therapy can help them before misconceptions about pricing can close the door on their potentially life-changing healing experience. However, sometimes withholding the numbers can have a different effect. Many patients don’t even consider researching stem cell therapy because usually when the price isn’t listed for an item or service that’s an indication the cost is very high.

Keep in mind that the prices listed here are average estimated costs to give you a point to reference while considering stem cell therapy. These prices can be lower or higher depending on things like the location of your provider, quality of care and your specific treatment needs.

Let’s start at the high end of the spectrum and work our way down. Cultured Stem Cell Procedures are currently being offered outside of the U.S, and some patients are making the trip to receive the therapy. Cultured Stem Cell Procedures work much like the stem cell treatments currently available in the U.S.; they are used to treat orthopedic and degenerative conditions as well as other advanced chronic conditions with positive results. When stem cells are extracted for cultured stem cell therapy, instead of being used immediately, the cells are allowed to grow and increase in number and potency before being used for the treatment. Costs for cultured stem cell procedures can start at about $15-17k per treatment. This number does not include the price of travel.

There are several types of stem cell procedures currently available in the U.S including adipose-derived stem cells (from fat cells) bone marrow-derived stem cells, cord tissue stem cells and amniotic fluid stem cell therapy. The cost of these treatments vary greatly, and autologous treatments where you are your own stem cell donor are usually less expensive than treatments like cord tissue stem cell. Adipose, bone marrow, cord tissue and amniotic stem cell treatments can start anywhere from $5-10k per treatment.

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) is not specifically a stem cell treatment, but the therapy relies on the same healing and regenerative properties of stem cells using the platelets in your blood to command growth factors and cytokines to the affected area for cell regrowth and regeneration. PRP treatments are popular among athletes and are the most cost-effective of all of the regenerative therapy options available. PRP treatments can range from $1-3k per treatment.

You can learn more about the specifics of each of these treatments here.

Weighing Your Options

Before sticker shock sets in, weigh your options when considering the price of stem cell therapy and compare the price to the alternative treatment available. Surgery for many orthopedic conditions can cost in upwards of $50k, and although surgery can be covered under insurance, you are still faced with premium payments, co-pays, and deductibles that come out of pocket for surgery costs. Consider the recovery time required for surgery and the possibility of being out of work for anywhere from three to six months following the procedure.

It’s also important to consider the costs of complications from surgery and a likely need for revision surgery in the future. Make sure you’re evaluating the upfront cost of stem cell therapy against the total long-term costs of choosing conventional treatment options.

Making Your Decision

The decision to follow a medical treatment plan should never be taken lightly, and the cost of treatment shouldn’t be enough to sway you toward one option for affordability. There are a few questions you should ask yourself while making your pro/con list to decide if you will choose stem cell therapy treatment above traditional treatment options.

Assess what your real pain limits are.

Go beyond the pain intensity scale of 1-10 and think about how your condition is affecting your life. How much are you willing to sacrifice financially, emotionally and physically to fight your illness. How much are you willing to risk to find a real cure?

Assess your total medical charges to date.

You may need to go beyond the date of your diagnosis and tally how much you’ve spent in time, medical costs, over the counter solutions, emotional and physical distress, transportation costs and missed work.

Assess the hidden costs you're paying for your illness.

How many times have you had to cancel plans or disappoint your loved ones because your illness is limiting your capability? Are your absences for medical issues holding you back from career advancement or opportunity? Have you sacrificed your mental health while battling your chronic condition? Tally up how much time you spend each day/week worrying about your chronic illness and put a price tag on it.

The cost of stem cell therapy is important when making an informed decision about your healthcare but don’t miss considering the benefits of stem cell therapy while focusing on the bottom line. You deserve the best care for your body and your life, don’t compromise that liberty because you think you can’t afford it.

Learn More About Stem Cell Therapy

Stem Cell Therapy Costs and Insurance

Learn why most assumptions about the costs of stem cell therapy are untrue. We show you why.

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Dear Annette and Trent, it really depends on the type of stem cell treatment that you’re receiving. Amniotic and Cord Tissue injections can average from $3,000 to $5500 per 1 CC injection. Bone Marrow and Adipose start from about $6500 to $10,000 depending on the size of the joint. It varies from provider to provider, but I would look for someone who has experience in performing these types of treatments.